By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
WHO said the early milling season in Negros can solve the current sugar crisis? Via press release, maybe, yes! But reality-wise, it ain’t!
I grew up in Hacienda Cudangdang #4 in EB Magalona, Negros Occidental. Hence, I have some knowledge about sugar. Milling season usually start by the end of September or first week of October every year. By that time, sugarcanes have become truly mature, so swak to produce quality sugar.
Harvesting the juvenile canes will spawn another disaster.
Why?
Everything boils down to the issue of the purity of the cane (purisa). If purisa ain’t good, so is the quality of sugar.
‘DISPLEASING’
Now, let’s examine the issue (sugar crisis), how it started and borne the quintuple trouble.
Let’s begin with Sugar Order No. 3 (SO No. 3) of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA). It’s “displeasing” to some planters’ groups in Negros. Thus, they parried it thru court injunctions. They won.
SO No. 3 aims to import 200,000 metric tons of sugar to address the projected gap of supply in the local market. This was after typhoon “Odette” hammered Negros Island in December last year. Thus, low sugar production for Crop Year (CY) 2022 was forecasted. To address such, SO No. 3 was conceived.
But some Negros planters billed it as “ill-timed” because it came out at the height of the milling season in February. So, it instantaneously suffered “abortion” due to injunctions from Sagay and Himamaylan regional trial courts.
Then, SRA administrator Hermenegildo Serafica, crafter of SO No. 3, was criticized.
Now, we’re here facing trouble upon trouble upon trouble upon trouble upon trouble.
Let’s decouple these troubles one by one:
TROUBLE NO. 1 – SUGAR LACK
Per Serafica, sugar supply in the country is only until Aug. 19. Beyond it, we’ll be “sugarless”.
TROUBLE NO. 2 – ABSURD SUGAR PRICES
Sugar prices are now “more than one can afford”. Refined sugar now sells at P100 – P115 / kilo and raw (pula) at P70 – 85 / kilo.
On Facebook (FB) netizens labeled this current sugar pricing, “Ang mapait nga kamatuuran!”
TROUBLE NO. 3 – SOFTDRINK CRISIS
There’s scarcity of supply of soft drinks both in Negros and Panay for three weeks already.
Previously, the lack of CO2 (carbon dioxide) was cited as reason. Later, it was known that the lack of sugar also caused the mess.
TROUBLE NO. 4 – BREAD BROUHAHA
Too, bakeries suffer from this sugar lack. But having no choice, they have opted to lessen their bread production.
“Mag-a-adjust na naman po kami para maka-survive,” said Asosasyon ng Panaderong Pilipino (APP) director Jam Mauleon.
TROUBLE NO. 5 – ‘SUGAR BACK’ PHENOMENON
Some planters’ groups asked certain mill sites in Negros to open for early milling.
The very purpose: to produce sugar right now!
But a sugar expert (name withheld) said this “forced opening” of the milling season will bear more bad than good things. He stressed the purisa matters.
The maturity of the canes, he explained, determines the accumulated nutrients that cause the brix, purity, polarization, and sucrose content – all vital in sugar production.
Juvenile canes can’t meet the standard, he articulated.
So, what’ll happen?
“Sugar back” phenomenon, he punctuated. It is a scenario wherein sugar production is still very, very low (due to poor quality) for the expected demand.
‘PLASTER SOLUTION’
In sum, the premature opening of the milling season is just a “plaster solution” to the sugar crisis and “face-saving” for those who opposed SO No. 3. Serafica said the country still needs to import sugar to arrest the jumble.
Well, there’s something in this guy (Serafica) why President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. retained him at the SRA, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Amidst calls for his immediate ouster, DA Undersecretary for Operations and Chief of Staff Leocadio Sabeatian issued Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 1 on July 21 stating Serafica’s holdover as SRA’s top boss.
Sebastian’s MC No. 1 was nixed by some SRA executives and planters, too. But since there’s an imprimatur from the President who is also the DA chief, it prevailed.
VERY WELL DECISION
Decoding the issue, it’s obvious that everything boils down to “pride intramurals”. Serafica remains “unwanted” by some planters’ groups in Negros. Thus, they contest his SO No. 3. They even appealed to ex-President Duterte and now President Marcos to fire Serafica as soon as possible.
Both presidents were “deaf”, however. What does it mean? They trust Serafica still.
So, while his “antagonists” continue to create noise, Serafica opts to stay calm yet composed. He simply focuses on finding solution(s) to the crisis. Very good decision, indeed, worthy of admiration.
Hope he’ll bring back the “sweetness of sugar” amid the rumpus of fears and uncertainties./PN
